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Harumo Sato

@harumosato

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I paint on 2D &3D🌈
Rainbow @whitneymodern 6/1-6/30
BEWITCHED @arcgallerysf 6/20-7/18
CALeidoscope @bedfordgallery 7/11-9/13

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In 2023, @inkdwell and I created a pair of water tank designs for @google in @cityofsunnyvale.

My design, “Waku Waku Wonderland,” is inspired by the animals we encounter in our daily lives, celebrating our shared and interconnected existence. Meanwhile, Jane’s design honors endangered local animals, showing deep respect for nature.

The scale of the artwork is 65 feet high and 120 feet long. It was definitely a challenge! I redrew it many times to find the best composition and color balance.

If you’re near a SMaRT station in Sunnyvale, come check it out! The area hosts a lot of wildlife, it’s fun to take a walk and observe our wild neighbors. taken in Sunnyvale, California by @harumosato

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7 months ago

Final shots of the mural for @powwowsanjose, taken by @lannysphotos. Big thanks to everybody whom I met through this amazing art journey! As for the design, special thanks to @lannysphotos, real Vietnamese American, who shared with me the real Vietnamese insight! I was planning to paint the whale shark, but she pointed out how important catfish is in Vietnamese culture. People eat it very often but this funny fish is not well appreciated or recognized by most of the non-Vietnamese like me.( As a Japanese, I eat catfish, but really not often!!). Many people wondered what the big fish is, and the answer is the catfish🤣🤣 Do you see the long whiskers!? Other fish you find on this mural: lion fish, pine fish, sunfish, Japanese squid, jelly fish, and “pho fish” that I made up😏(This pho fish ran away from a green guy at the left corner and pretend to be a jelly fish.) I had so much fun and learned a lot though painting this. Thank you so so much, again!
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POW! WOW! San Jose Presented by //⁣⁣⁣⁣
@empire7studios @ungramr @mightydesign.io @powwowworldwide⁣⁣⁣⁣ @powwowsanjose
.⁣⁣⁣
Supported by // @knightfdn @HyattPlace @kellymoorepaint @montanacans @47 @crescoequipmentrentals @google @monsterenergy @hawaiianairlines @iguanasburritozilla @ualocal393 @svcreates @waltcomm⁣⁣⁣⁣ @sj_downtown @thealamedaartworks @scvta @rockitprints ⁣⁣⁣⁣@eastridgecenter @jiminystitchit @visitsanjose_ca #TriForgeCapitalPartners #gardencityconstructionsj taken in Dac Phuc Restaurant by @harumosato

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8 years ago

Recently I had the pleasure of capturing @harumosato’s latest project with @chanzuckerberginitiative.

I visited her at her studio to see her work on components for her mural/installation. Each piece of this installation was meticulously planned out for months.

To create her wooden rabbits, Harumo collected discarded wooden pieces from trash and sides of roads. She then cleaned and cut pieces to size, then clued and sanded them down to even planks. After, she worked with a wood shop to cut out the bunny designs and further sanded then sealed the rabbits.

To create her ghosts or spirits, Harumo spent countless hours experimenting with different materials that will give her the translucency she was looking for, but also durability in the long run.

My favorite creation was Harumo's technique on using gold foil in a way that she was able to control it and install it on site with little hiccups.

After her studio visits, I would visit her on site and see the mural come to life. The mural itself is so well thought out, and on its own it could stand, but with the extra thoughtful components Harumo installed, it elevated the art to a piece you can stand and look at for hours and still find something new.

Thank you, Harumo for trusting me to capture such a special project! by @harumosato

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4 years ago

I am very grateful that I collaborated with MidPen Housing to create an iconic affordable housing/ garage units art in San Mateo. Kiku Crossing, meaning Chrysanthemum Crossing, was created for people whose work is essential for the city. The easy access to the public transit is essential. Thanks to a lot of passionate efforts from so many people, the project got a prime location which is close from the Caltrain station with a direct connection with the garage unit.
The name of the building, Kiku Crossing, pays homage to Japanese Americans who were the main contributors of San Mateo's glorious history as “chrysanthemum capital of the world”.

Using chrysanthemum as a key element for this triptych work, I blended 3 inspirational visual narratives from historically significant entities related to the city: Ohlone, Mexican (specifically Otomi), and Japanese Americans. My hope is that the artwork speaks to anyone who passes by, celebrating the shared moments of being in San Mateo.

One square panel is inspired by the Ohlone philosophy of living and their elegant baskets. This design visualizes the collective efforts of individuals and groups to weave a strong community together. Inspired by Otomi's hand-stitched work, I created a fun tapestry of local birds and small animals gathering, celebrating our diversity in nature.

The rectanglular design was inspired by a Japanese proverb, "Kiku no Sakazuki" (drinking sake with chrysanthemum petals floating on it). It captures the celebratory time to gather with friends and family to appreciate the beauty of nature and wish for a long, prosperous life.

Public art is an act of optimism. Start talking with strangers to become friends while looking at my work;P

Photos taken by @lannysphotos @lannycatcheswalls by @harumosato

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23 days ago

THANK YOU ALL for coming to the opening HELD/TOGETHER at @dominicanu

It was so meaningful for me to show the pieces I created with tears and sweats along with my peers who have been inspiring me during the CASP residency for over 8 years!

Thank you Marissa for the awesome curation! I had a blast!

With @cynthiabrannvall . Who can imagine that one day my pieces are beside hers??!!! She has been a great mentor and friend who has been teaching me the power of will and serendipity.

Last Tuesday members!!! All my loves!

With Nao. I was lucky to work with her for a project in 2023, since then, she has been a shiny star in my heart. She produces such a scale of work while being a very involving mom of two. I wanna be like her…! taken in Dominican University of California by @harumosato

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a month ago

Come join us this Saturday for the opening of Held/Together at @dominicanuniversityca I will be there!!

Curated by Marissa Gianno

Poster Design by @taradelagarza taken in Dominican University of California by @harumosato

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a month ago

A surprising guest came to my studio: Fujita-san, an ex-CEO of a company I used to work at in Japan 16 years ago!

I dropped out of a normal path, working in an office, due to my sudden sickness in 2011. The company was generous enough to let me work for 2 more years as a disabled person, but my health didn’t improve much. I was stuck, and needed a big change.

I quit the job, flew to the US to study art and design, hoping to acquire skills and English, then work from home in Japan internationally.

The plan changed drastically since miraculously my health improved while I was studying art at @universityatbuffalo and I met Ian.

I was stunned by his insights about my work. It gave me a new context and angle to see my work.

This kind of meeting brings one of the deep, unexpected joys that life occasionally gives us. Very empowering!!!
Thank you, Fujita San for visiting my studio! Hope to see you again in Japan!

かつて日本でちょっこり働いていた会社の元社長、藤田さんが、カリフォルニア訪問ついでにスタジオに来てくれました！
新卒の最終面接以降（10年以上前笑）、直接お話するのは初めてだったのですが、とても気さくな感じ！私のたどたどしいお話を聞いてくださって、感動でした！しかも、最近オープンしたMission Bay小学校も、サンフランシスコ見学ついでに見に行ってくださって、ありがたい限りです。私のこと、覚えてくださってて感動！ありがとうございました！日本でまた会えるといいですねー！

Studio @artistsofcasp

I was so grateful that Fujita San remembered me. I only had one chance to speak with him directly during the final interview. But this time, we were talking as friends, connected through genuine interest in art. He even went to see Mission Bay school tile art prior to his visit. taken in Cubberley Artist Studio Program by @harumosato

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a month ago

What’s playing in the background while you work? Any suggestions? 🤣 by @harumosato

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a month ago

I am very very excited to show this piece, which took almost TWO YEARS to make, this September at “Held/ Together” at Dominican University.

Umazume (2026), Acrylic, sumi ink, urushi lacquer, terracotta, gofun powder, charcoal, color pencils, oil pastel, plastic containers, biodegradable stickers, and children’s shoes on board, 60 x 96 inches.

As some of you know, I experienced the 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima Japan. I call myself a loose evacuee. I was not forced to evacuate by the government, but I voluntarily moved out.

I have been observing directly and indirectly how the lives there have been shifted after the nuclear disaster for over 15 years. This piece is my metamorphosed question that I have been carrying: do we want to continue using nuclear power knowing that potential catastrophe caused by nuclear power might take 300-2000 years to fully reclaim the land and sea? If so, what price do we potentially pay?

Knowing that energy shortage has been an issue for our post-industrialized societies, many companies/ countries started looking into nuclear-generated power for more volume. The dialogue should be open regardless of age. I myself don’t know the “right” answer, but I believe that sharing stories, holding discussions, and questioning efficacy through multiple angles is crucial. Nuclear power is invisible, and art is one of the best methods to help metabolize its shape. My work invites people from young to old, to think together about our energy strategy, thus our future.

“Held/ Together”
Curated by Marissa Patten
Where: @dominicanu Dominican University Barbara D. Goodman Art Gallery, 50 Acacia Ave, San Rafael, CA
When: Sept 19 - Oct 24
Opening reception: Sept 19th 3 - 5pm: I will be there!! by @harumosato

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a month ago

Playing with my work. It’s fun to assemble pieces to create an installation!

Definitely, making a cloud of work (my term: showing pieces as a group) gives a different impression than simply putting pieces in row.

#openstudio #openstudios #openart #artstudio #artcomposition taken in Cubberley Artist Studio Program by @harumosato

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2 months ago

What do you see first?

#unconventional #contemporanyart #sustainableart #recycledart #savetheplanet by @harumosato

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2 months ago

We had so much fun time at @cazartsfamilycamp at the first week of August. It was our first time to join as a family and we had a blast!

Art, theater, DJ, singing, playing instruments, clowning, yoga, body tjak and so much more were offered for not only kids, but also parents and grandparents.

Everyone was fully immersed in art and music in the deep forest, with good conversations and mutual genuine admiration naturally nurtured through intense 7 days classes and everyday activities. It was a magical experience. No wonder there are so many families who return year after year to CAZ!

Thanks to @jumbojibbles / @artwormsbrown , I was invited to join as an art teacher and we taught together TOKUSATU Mask making class for 5 days. TOKUSATSU, especially before CG effects became a thing, is a special term describing a genre of movies and live action with handmade special effects. Godzilla is definitely a classic we looked up for during the class.

I also thought a tactile art class at kids city for 2.5 yr old to 5 yr old. The age gap among those is a definitely a challenge, but I really loved hanging out with the young campers. Already at such young age, each of them had such a vision! Making friendships with those young campers also made this camp very special for me.

Thank you for good time! Big thanks to @thejoshuasilverstein and Cinthya who runs this big hot bun family fantastica!

#camp #forestcamp #camplife #artworkshop #kidsworkshop by @harumosato

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2 months ago